GLOBALGAP update aquaculture standard

GlobalGAP on Monday announced that it has updated its aquaculture certification standards, after about 500 stakeholders representing 116 organizations commented on the standards after a three-year period.

This is the fourth edition of the standards to be released, and this time the standards have been expanded to include any hatchery-based species that can be produced under controlled aquatic systems.

The new standards come about a year-and-a-half after GlobalGAP partenered with the World Wildlife Fund’s Aquaculture Dialogues to certify fish farms in an effort to minimize the negative impacts associated with aquaculture. The partnership provides coverage to farmed seafood products in advance of the formation of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council in 2011.

“We look forward to the first tilapia producers in Latin America and Southeast Asia in the coming months to become compliant to the Tilapia Aquaculture Dialogue standards through our interim partnership with GlobalGAP and the joint audit arrangements,” said Jose Villalon, managing director of the WWF-U.S. aquaculture program.